The Royal Coach

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Getaway Summary

PRICE (pp sharing):

from R 320

PRICE (unit):

from R 1,680 - 1,680

GETAWAY TYPE

Backpacker

Overview

The Royal Coach is situated in the historic gold mining village of Kaapschehoop and is the original coach that Queen Elizabeth II travelled in on her visit to South Africa in 1947. The Royal Coach is ideal for visitors looking simply to get away and relax and for wanderers seeking new viewpoints. The Coach is very old and quaint and a nostalgic and unique destination, . Due to the need for restoration the rates have been kept as low as possible. <br /><br />The coach consists of three wood-panelled comfortable bedrooms furnished with double beds. One of the rooms has an en-suite bathroom while the other two rooms share a bathroom; they both have baths. There is a small fridge, a microwave and a kettle. linen, towels, coffee mugs, and teaspoons are supplied. Meals are available at the Salvador Bistro which is open from 07:30. The bistro is famous for wood-fire pizzas and a cosy fireplace in cold weather.<br /><br />There are a number of alternative village restaurants. All offer good meals at reasonable prices. <br /><br />Kaapschehoop is a fantastic venue for photographers, birdwatchers and nature lovers, and is the ideal romantic setting as proven by the frequency of weddings in the town chapel. Birdwatching can be done at the Blue Swallow Nature Reserve and guests can book a guided tour to seek out the endangered birds. Various other animals can also be seen including a vast selection of flora and fascinating rock formations. There are a variety of nature walks, a waterfall and mountain bike trails within walking distance, as well as a horse trail facility located 8 km from the village. The town provides a convenient stopover for travellers making their way to the Kruger National Park or Mozambique.

"While lying in bed; drinking coffee; thinking of the historical events around the coach."

01 Nov 2017

By Tim Ronaldson

"We enjoyed having the whole coach to ourselves. The coach is in great condition. The coffee and fridge facilities great. Wonderful experience, as well as at Salvador pub. Great barman and staff."

"Our second visit, as good as the first"

25 Sep 2017

By Jeanine Jooste

"This was our second visit to the Royal Coach. Good value for money in the perfect location. Some improvements have been made since our last visit (new geyser, improved kitchenette arrangement, old bathroom curtains removed). The bed is super comfortable, and we had no neighbors during our stay so total privacy. I would highly recommend it for a unique, cosy getaway. In bad weather, the lack of an inside lounge might be frustrating, so just keep that in mind, but Kaapsehoop to me is all about hiking then having a bite to eat somewhere and early to bed!"

"To realize our stay was in a historic train coach used by the Queen and company in 1947."

14 Jul 2017

By Nicolien Guest

"We loved the silence and view from the steps. Improvements needed: new carpets, furnishings like the curtains and toilet rugs etc need to be replaced. Toilet seat in main room must be replaced, keeps on falling.. Hand showers can be re-installed in baths. All-over Royal cleaning from top to bottom. Dust gathered in all corners. Coffee-station area can be improved. A small table and chair/s in the rooms will be a bonus. Overall very nice. Thank you."

"Sleeping in the coach"

05 Jun 2017

By Marina Viljoen

"The silents and the tranquility"

"Novelty, location and comfort"

18 Apr 2017

By Jeanine Jooste

"From both a historical and novelty point of view, this gets 5 stars. Thing is you get two kinds of travelers, the ones who will look at the pictures of the beds and pillows and the ones who look at the view from the patio, location and natural surrounds. We are the latter. If you want granite tops and perfect finishes this is not for you. The coach does need a bit of TLC but not an entire overhaul at all. With a few new trimmings and touchups here and there it will be even more charming.It was actually also a lot more private than I envisioned, although there are building's on both side of the train, the one is actually a wall/garage and the house on the other side wasn't occupied (and curtains abound if you want to close it). The picture also doesn't show that there is in fact a braai by the front door so between that and the microwave you can easily semi-cater for yourself and not eat out if you dont want to. Its good value for money and the sleep quality was great - comfy beds! Nice big bath, we spent some good time in that bath! It might get a bit tight if you are 6 people but its ideal for 2 - 4 people, in my opinion. Good location too, you can see the "valley of stones" starting from the front door just across a patch of grass so you can just get into your hiking boots , lock the door and walk off in between the stone pillars and into the mist and get completely mesmerized by the unique flora and microcosms on the rocks. It was a great second visit to Kaapsehoop for us."

"Miss leading"

23 Mar 2017

By Peet Viljoen

"The foo is miss leading of what it really looks like. It needs a paint over, the wood at the door is rotten, the kitchen needs a make over and the toilet in the main bedroom needs a upgrade further more we did not see the owner just a black gentleman Aron that showed us around. The bed in the first bedroom does not fit in. Finding the coach is another headache there is no signage to show where it is."

"

12 Oct 2016

By Trudy, South Africa

"I will definitely not recommend to anyone. It is neglected and dirty. Pity as it is a great idea, but some serious restoration and a general spruce up is required."

"As expected"

15 Jul 2016

By Keith, South Africa

"Having read previous reviews before our trip we made a decision anyway to visit the coach for a second timeas one of my daughters had not been before and so we didnot have great expectations.The accommodation was clean and we enjoyed the experience.Sadly we did not even see the owner. We collected the key at the local pub and were not told were to leave it on departure so just left it in the door.The evening was cold and although some heaters were provided they did not have the correct electrical fittings.A little TLC would go a long way."

"Enchanting!"

29 Feb 2016

By Sarah, South Africa

"We spent a most charming weekend at the Royal Coach. The coach is centrally located, across the road from the escarpment walk, an easy stroll to surrounding restaurants, and a perfectly doable meander to Battery Creek Falls. While the coach could benefit from a little TLC it was meticulously clean and the beds were super comfortable.The magic of sleeping in a railway coach once fit for royalty more than made up for any lack of luxury. The coach, like the surrounding town of Kaapsehoop is a really unique and special getaway. I look forward to a return trip in the near future!"

"

15 Feb 2016

By Dedre, South Africa

"We spent a wonderful weekend at Danitas, as there was already someone else booked into the Royal Coach when we arrived in Kaapsehoop.Kaapsehoop is a lovely destination and we would surely visit again!"